Wolf's Clothing
Wolf's Clothing is the 87th arc in Housepets!. Characters *Bino *Duchess *Fox *King *Bailey *The Wolves Pack **Daryl **Miles **"Four Finger Discount" Jack **"Rockstar Hawk" **"Darth Vader Sanchez" **"Deathaxe"/"North Star" **Uncle Deadeye **Natalie **Lucretia **Rodney **Lucretia's mother *Bruno *Skip *Kevin *Cory *Jeff *Max *Peanut Plot During tea Duchess informs Bino that it won't be long until the Good Ol' Dog's Club is disbanded if they don't elect a leader soon. Bino tells Duchess she should start her own club, but Duchess replies that would require a built-in following, something she assumed Bino had. She then asks him why he hasn't been voted in yet. She notes on how Fox; who is presumably Bino's friend, hasn't voted yet. Bino says that if he forced Fox to vote, then he would vote against him out of spite. He says that he's not that stupid to let that happen. Duchess informs him that he is in fact that stupid, and Bino rephrases it as "prone to bruising". Bino arrives at the Lindberg residence looking for Fox. King tells him that he's not home, and Bailey comes to the door hearing the commotion. Bino freaks out upon seeing Bailey (still remembering what happened during The Unbearable Lightness Of Being A Dog) and hides in a trashcan. From inside the trashcan Bino asks what King and Bailey are doing at Fox's house since they usually live at the Wolf House. King mentions that they've been avoiding the house for a while, since the sound of something called, Rites of Adulthood sets off a red flag. Bino realizes that the initiation could make someone (or somedog) an official wolf... Duchess tells him he doesn't have the proper build to be a wolf, but Bino assures her that being an honorary wolf will get him votes. He claims being accepted by ferals makes you a real dog's dog, rough, rugged, and self-sufficient. Duchess is quick to remind him he embodies none of those qualities. Bino arrives at the Wolf House and is greeted by Daryl, who asks about his name. Daryl is a bit surprised that Bino would want to go through something meant for wolf pups, but Bino retorts that it's to make him a 'real' wolf. Daryl says the initiation won't make him any taller, and Bino angrily asks why people keep telling him that. Miles is more than happy to indulge in 'cultural sharing' by letting Bino be a part of the initiation. He explains that there are three tests in order to become a full wolf, but Jack argues that there are actually four. Miles tells him now that they're living among humans, they shouldn't provoke them. Jack claims that gutting tradition makes them no better than boring ordinary dogs (much to Bino's distaste.) Miles reveals the three tests, he explains it doesn't matter what order they are taken in, but says there will be a guide who will observe each one. *Scare away an attacking bear (Natalie & Uncle Deadeye) *Navigate by scent alone (Rodney) *Sneak up on a bird of prey (Ma) Bino arrogantly claims he's done all those things and refuses to go over the basic techniques because it's 'kindergarten.' He is immediately put out in front of a bear cave with Natalie, where he sheepishly admits he never went to kindergarten, but Natalie doesn't know what he's talking about. Bino realizes the task before him as Uncle Deadeye chases "Bruno" (the name of the bear) out of her cave. Natalie tells him bears are notorious cowards, and to just do his best charge. He asks how big "Bruno" is, and Natalie replies that she saw the bear eat a bird off of a tree branch once. Bino looks up at how high the branch is, and immediately attempts to flee, but Natalie grabs him by the ear and tells him to stay. As Bruno approaches, Natalie reminds Bino if he needs anything...she doesn't care. Bruno exits the cave yawning and looks down at the dog. Bino nervously tries to assert himself by brandishing a large stick and threatening the bear with it. Bruno, completely unfazed, falls back asleep and collapses right on top of him. A muffled Bino asks Natalie if it counted, but Natalie tells him to refer to her previous statement. Later on, as Lucretia is cleaning up Bino's scratches, he complains about given a half-awake bear, and asks Miles why is he being put on 'easy' mode. Miles tells him that there are no 'modes,' the goal is to test the cubs, not endanger them, that's why they do it before spring. Bino whines about the point of it all, saying he wanted to do something impressive, like "skydive off a cliff onto the back of an eagle in flight and tame it midair." When asked if he can do that, Bino retorts that he can't, or else he wouldn't need this stupid test. Miles, well aware of the Bino's ego, sarcastically remarks how difficult it must be being a god locked in a mortal shell. Bino then takes on the test of his scents as Cousin Rodney gives him a cloth to sniff. Bino says he was previously tested before back in the police academy, he just needs to find the matching scent. He searches for three hours (even peeking at one point), only to find himself back where he started with Rodney. At the ceremonies, Miles gives "Deathaxe" his medal. The cub tells him that he changed his name to "North Star" (after Fist of the North Star.) Miles is about to give Bino a medal, only to realize he isn't there. Cut to a blindfolded Bino hopelessly lost in the woods at night, unable to find the other matching cloth. Daryl and Other Daryl head into the woods with flashlights to find Bino. Bino, still blindfolded, hides behind a tree to avoid being found, not wanting to give up and become a laughing stock. Bino intends to complete the test, planning on creating a mental map of the forest and triangulating the position of the cloth from there. As soon as he takes a step however, he falls down into a chasm (the same one Zach fell into in Rabbit's Foot.) As Bino falls into the chasm, his blindfold slips off, and he lands on the back of an eagle named Skip. Skip thrashes around, threatening to peck Bino's eyes out, but Bino grips him tightly, refusing to let go until they land. As Skip flies, he angrily curses out his friend Frank, who told him to head north early due to the warm winter. Skip manages to fly closer to the ground and tells Bino to get off, but Bino argues with the eagle to lower him closer. Skip flies Bino face-first into a tree branch, whereupon he falls off and is subsequently buried under a pile of snow. As Bino lays in pain under the snow, Skip yells for him to lose weight. Bino sits up, realizing he's holding Skip's feather in one paw and the matching cloth in his other paw. He ecstatically exclaims that he completed the final two tasks, making him a real wolf now. Just then, Bruno discovers Bino mid-celebration, and starts dragging him away. Hours later, Bino is returned to the Wolf House, having told Miles, Uncle Deadeye and Lucretia's mother of his endeavors. However, none of them believe a word of it, Miles scolding Bino over his bragging of his non-existent skills since he arrived, and telling him his fabrication wouldn't convince a child. Rodney's cub interjects, saying she heard Uncle Deadeye did all three tasks at once. Bino tries to take advantage to sway the opinion, until the cub points out that he reminds her of Uncle Daryl. Bino is slumped in a chair, upset that the Wolves don't believe him, when Jack comes over and offers him a deal. He says that if he takes the fourth test he will be recognized as an official feral wolf, and Bino accepts with much vigor. Jack takes him to a back alley and explains the aforementioned fourth test, to steal from a human, AND get away with it. Bino takes off his collar to avoid being ID'd. As he sets his eyes on a target, his stomach growls loudly, startling Jack, who thought "Fat" Daryl had found them. Bino approaches a baby stroller and starts coaxing the baby out of the lollipop its holding. Bino, who hasn't eaten since the previous day, grabs the candy in an attempt to steal it. As he pulls with all his strength, the baby lets go, and Bino smashes the lollipop into his face, crushing it. Irritated, Bino steals the baby's pacifier, causing the baby to cry loudly. This attracts the child's mother, who thinks Bino is a rabid dog. Before Bino can finish framing the situation in his favor, the mother hits him with her purse. Bino attempts to flee, but the mother gets the attention of the K-9 Unit. Bino is then immediately tackled to the ground by an officer. As Kevin compliments the officer-in-training on his tackle, Bino, recognizing the voice, looks up to discover the officer is none other than his old friend Fox, who has joined the K-9 Unit. Fox on the other hand, isn't all that surprised that Bino would be up to something like this. As Fox arrests Bino, he explains he joined the K-9 Academy last month, and is doing ride-alongs now. Fox then forcibly asks Bino what he's doing, and Bino tries to explain the situation, only to find Jack has disappeared from the alleyway. Cut to Jack, trying to sell Bino's collar to Cory. Cory, sporting a black eye, asks if there are any possums looking for it. After a week in the pound, Jeff pays Bino's bail and he is released. Given his collar back, Bino asks what took them so long. Max replies that they thought he was at Duchess's house. Jeff asks Bino what bender he was on, and Bino tells him he was trying to become a wolf. Max reveals that other dogs have gone to take the initiation in the week, and has become a huge fad. A stunned Bino is once again told by Max that it wouldn't make him taller. Bino arrives at the Wolf House and King answers the door. King tells Bino the Wolves specifically told him they aren't doing the initiations anymore. King explains that he and Bailey, as well as several of the members of the Good 'Ol Dogs Club got in on it, until the Wolves decided it was too much of a hassle. King refuses to let Bino back in on the account of his arrest. Later, Bino runs into Peanut wearing a feather showing he completed the test, to Bino's frustration. Later on Bino "thanks" Duchess for not bailing him out after his one phone call. Duchess asks what Bino's next brilliant scheme is now that he's a laughing stock and even farther behind than he was when he started. Bino introduces Duchess to Bruno, intending on using her "savage ferocity" to their advantage. However, Bruno ends up grabbing Bino and sitting on Duchess, Bino saying he's still working out the wrinkles in this plan. Events *"Deathaxe" changes his name to "North Star" *A (female) bear named Bruno and an eagle named Skip are introduced. *Fox is revealed to have joined the K-9 Unit, something he mentioned wanting to do in I Need A Vacation. Trivia *Bino reveals his name is pronounced Bye-no, not Bea-no, which has been the cause for debate by fans over the years. *Natalie has her first speaking role since she was introduced in From The Inside Out. *Daryl reveals that he and "The Other" Daryl share a name because of his own Rites of Adulthood. *The alt-text in Alone In The Bark (狼はもう死んでいる) translates to "The wolf is dead now" in Japanese. *This the fifth time a character has had a swear censored. The first time was King in It's A Wonderful Dog's Life, the second and third times were King again Dog Days of Summer and Not All Dogs, and the fourth time was Alan in Taking Cover. Max comes close to saying a swear in Pound Puppy. *Bino exclaiming "I'll be one with the FERALS!" in Jacked Up is a reference to Anise Is Like Catnip But For Dogs. **This suggests that Bino was the one who suffered from the anise overdose Grape mentioned. *On Twitter, Rick stated that this arc serves as an experiment, overcoming the usual 15~ strips max limit. *Pound Puppy is a reference to the toyline Pound Puppies. Category:2015 Category:Story Arcs Category:Comics Category:The Wolves Pack Category:K-9 Unit Category:20+ Page Arcs